10. Nuggets Media Fiasco and Trail Blazers Setbacks
1 of 10
Funnily enough, the primary factor influencing the Grizzlies’ potential playoff berth, let alone their ability to contend in the postseason, isn’t directly tied to their own performance.
It largely hinges on the distractions overshadowing the Denver Nuggets, currently holding the seventh seed, and the recurring injury woes affecting the Portland Trail Blazers, who presently occupy the eighth seed.
For those who might have missed the news over the past several months, Carmelo Anthony is reportedly seeking a departure from Denver, with aspirations of joining his wife, LaLa, in Los Angeles (with the Lakers) or New York City (with the Knicks).
This situation presents a significant disruption for a team whose coach, George Karl, has faced his own set of challenges. Following the 2010 All-Star Weekend, Karl received a diagnosis of treatable neck and throat cancer. Consequently, he had to sit out the remainder of the season, including the Nuggets’ first-round playoff defeat to the Utah Jazz. Karl has since recovered and has been coaching consistently this season. Nevertheless, this does not diminish the external factors affecting the Nuggets’ players, forcing them to grapple with unforeseen issues.
Conversely, the Trail Blazers might now welcome a distraction akin to the Carmelo trade saga, given the ongoing difficulties they’ve been encountering annually.
I offer my apologies to the Blazers fans for revisiting this, but for the third consecutive year, the 2008 top draft pick, Greg Oden, has unfortunately sustained a season-ending injury. While this is undoubtedly disheartening for Portland supporters, it pales in comparison to the events that have transpired since Oden’s absence for the 2010-2011 season.
The Trail Blazers’ current injury list is something no team would wish upon themselves. Brandon Roy, the team’s leading scorer for the past three seasons and arguably their best player, has been sidelined for the previous 29 games, with his return date remaining uncertain. Marcus Camby, the starting center and seasoned veteran, has missed the last 13 games, and his return is also to be determined.
To the Trail Blazers’ credit, they have maintained a competitive level despite the absence of three of their key players for significant stretches of the season. LaMarcus Aldridge has been performing exceptionally well, averaging 21.6 points per game and 9.1 rebounds per game in what could be his best season with the Blazers. Andre Miller has been effectively managing the point guard position in his signature style, minimizing turnovers and efficiently distributing the ball to the team’s offensive threats.
Despite the Trail Blazers surpassing expectations while dealing with several key players sidelined each game, Grizzlies fans have ample reason for optimism.
If Carmelo is traded before the February 24th trade deadline, the Nuggets’ immediate competitiveness would likely diminish. Unless the Knicks can somehow develop another player on their roster, the Nuggets would struggle to replace Anthony’s impact with players like Wilson Chandler, rookie Landry Fields, and Eddie Curry. As for the Lakers, even if the Nuggets could persuade Los Angeles to trade Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom (which is highly unlikely), Bynum’s injury history and Odom’s motivation might make it difficult to convince Denver fans that the team would be better off.
Regarding the Trail Blazers, given the extensive list of injuries they’re facing, sustaining their current level of success for another thirty games may prove challenging.
This makes the Grizzlies’ 28-26 record, just one game behind the Blazers and 2.5 games behind the Nuggets, seem quite promising at the moment. The Grizzlies simply need to maintain consistency and allow events to unfold.
Considering the potential setbacks for both Portland and Denver, Memphis could potentially ride this momentum all the way to the playoffs.
